Bottom-leg construction for well derricks



July 26,1927. 1,636,886

0. D. WERTZBERGER BOTTOM LEG CONSTRUCTION FOR WELL DERRICKS Filed Sept. 20. 1924 :E IEEID Dallas D. wcr-tzb'ez g er- Patented July 26, 1927.

PATENT OFFICE.

DALLAS I). WERTZBERGER, F TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

BOTTOM-LEG CONSTRUCTION FOR WELL DERRICKS.

Application filed September 20, 1924. Serial No. 738,736.

This invention relates to well drilling derricks and particularly the construction of the lowermost or ground panel of such a derrick. This invention is a continuation in part of my copending application for well drilling derrick filed July 19, 1924, Serial It is an object of this invention to provide an improved interlocking joint between the 1 legs and sills of a derrick whereby the loads imposed on the derrick itself will be transmitted to the sills and thereby reduce the concentrated ground load under each leg.

An advantage of this structure lies in the ease of aligning the derrick with the drill hole after settling of the derrick due to any cause as jacks or other elevating mechanism may be inserted under the sills without disturbing the blocking under the legs, whereas heretofore it has been a diificult and dangerous task to apply a jack under such a heavily loaded member as a derrick leg.

It is another object of this invention to provide diagonal struts and ties firmly con necting the legs of the derrick with the sills arranged in such a way as not to interfere with the usual disposition of machinery while at the same time producing a strong bottom panel for the derrick that will resist distortion.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On'the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary elevation of the lowermost panel of a derrick incorporating the features of this invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure l.

Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective of the joint between the legs and sills of the derrick.

As shown on the drawings:

The derrick structure shown comprises the lowermost panel of a well drilling derrick, the floor of which is adjacent the ground level and serves as a working platform. The

derrick comprises fourupstanding legs 10 which converge slightly towards the top. A pair of parallel sill members 11 connect each of the bottoms of two legs and tend to support the legs by abutting against shoulders 12 formed thereon. A second pair of parallel sills 13 are laid across the first pair and each abut against two of the legs, against similar shoulders 14 on the legs, both pans of sills being securely bolted as shown at 20 to the legs. Floor joists and flooring 15 are added bringing the floor level just above the second pair of sills.

Diagonal struts 16 are mortised into the legs adjacent the top of the first panel and extending to the floor level at a substantial distance from the foot of the legs. Eye bolts 17 through the legs at the upper end of the struts and through the sills receive rods 18 provided with turnbuckle barrels 19. The struts therefore are simple compression members while the rods take care of tension stresses due to weaving of the derrick under the loads imposed thereon.

I am aware that many changes may be made, and numerous details of construction may be varied through a. wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

In a derrick structure, a lower platform, sills supporting said platform having crossed ends and portions extending beyond said crossed ends forming leg seats, legs rising from the platform and having lower shouldered ends connected to and bearing directly upon said sill extensions, struts inclined downwardly from two sides of each leg and bearing at their lower ends upon the platform adjacent to the side edges thereof, adjustable tension members between the legs and platform sills approximately parallel with the several struts, and eye bolts serving to anchor the ends of the tension members with the platform and the legs, the eye bolts of the legs serving also to connect the upper ends of the struts to the legs.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

DALLAS D. WERTZBERGER. 

